Pedal and panel operating mechanism.



0. JOHNSON.

PEDAL AND PANEL OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPUCATION FILED IULYZ}, 19 16- 1,252,446. Patented Jan. 8,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 0. JOHNSON. PEDAL AND PANEL OPERATING MECHANASML,

APPLICATION FILED JULY24. 1916.

Patented Jan.8,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

for use in player pianos. .ments pedals are employed to operate the UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. V

USCAR'JOHNSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNO-R 2T0 AUTU ENEUMATIC ACTION COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF l TE llV'KGB K.

IPEDAL ANDPANEL GPJEBATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. s. 1918.

Application filed July 24, 1916. Serial N 0. 110,861.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it ,known that '1, Oscar: JOHNSON, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at New York in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Pedal .and Panel Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pedal and panel operatingmechanism particularly designed In such instrubellows when-the player mechanism is to be used, and these pedals are arranged to be folded back inside of the piano casing when the player .mechanism is not in use. The opening in the casing is closed by a door or panel after the pedals have been folded back. It is desirable and customary to provide a single mechanism for performing both of these operations in fixed sequence, and it is the ,general object of my invention to improve andsiinplify the mechanism used for thusmoving these elements in definite rela tion to each other.

To the accomplishment of this object my invention consists in certain arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved mechanism, showing the panel raised and the pedals in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a partial front elevation showingthe parts in the position which they assume when the case is closed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of aportion of the bell crank for raising the panel;

Fig. l is a side elevation of the parts emploved in moving the pedal frame;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. at, but showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the operating shaft and the connections thereto, and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but with the parts in a different position.

Referring to the drawings, a portion of a piano casing 10 is shown, having an opening 11 normally closed by a vertically sliding anel 12. The panel 12 is connected by a ink 13 to one arm of a bell crank 14 mounted on a fixed pivot 15. The second arm of tion. .lVhen the panelis raised the spring the bell crank is connected by an adjustable Ashereinshown this connection comprises .a slotQl formed in the link and a stud or pin 22: securedto the arm' 17.

A tension spring .23 is fixed at its lower end to the .fraineof the casing 10 and at its upper end is connected to a projectionor .arm 24flixed to the bellcrank 14. The dis- ;position of the spring is such that its-line .of action gradually approaches the pivot lti .ofthe hell crank la as. the panel 12 descends,

andit movesaway from thepivot as the panel l'lSQS. his change in leveragelnore than offsets the change in the length ofthc spring, and consequently the spring counterbalances the .panel when in its raised position but has comparatively little resistive force when the panel is in its lowered posiretains the panel in raised position without assistance from the operating. mechanism.

The pedals 30(Fig. l) are mounted upon a frame 31 connectedbyarmsBQ.to'a shaft pivotally mounted in bearings 34 secured .to the casing 10. An arm 35 isfixed to the shaft 33 and is adjustably connected by a link 36 to a bell crank 37 (Fig. 1) pivoted at 38 to a block 39 secured. to the casing 10.

The link 36 is formed intwo parts which are screw-connected and provided with check 1,

nuts by which means the length of the link may be varied.

The second arm of the bell crank 37 is connected to an adjustable link 40 pivoted at se to the second arm c1 of the bell crank fixed to the shaft 18. Partial rotation of the shaft 18 by means of the handle 20 causes the arm 41 through the link L0 to move the bell crank 37 and to thus swing the pedals to the desired position.

A spring 42 (Figs. 4 and 5) is connected at 4:3 to the casing and at 4-1 to one of the arms 32 which position the pedal frame 31. This I spring partially counterbalances the weight of the pedals when in'lowered posipedal frame is so disposed with reference to the axis of the shaft 33 that the pedals complete their movement in either direction by gravity without necessary assistance from the operating handle, and they are in a stable position of rest at both ends of their path of travel.

The sequence of operation is as follows Assuming that the instrument is open, as shown in Fig. 1, and the handle 20 is moved to the right, as indicated by the arrow, the arm ll acting through the link 40, the bell crank 37 and link 36, will swing the pedals back inside of the casing. During this operation the panel will be held in its raised position by its spring 23. The stud 22 in the arm 17 will move idly along the slot 21 in the link 16 and when the pedals reach their folded position the parts will be as indicated in Fig. 6. Continued movement of the handle moves the pivot 10 in the arm 11 across the dead center with reference to the link 40. Such movement results in a very slight longitudinal movement of the link 40 and owing to the looseness of the several connections, this movement has no effect upon the pedals or pedal frame. At this time, however, the arm 17 is moving from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 7, and the pin 22 pressing against the left-hand end of the slot 21 positively moves the panel 12 to closed position. When the case is to be opened, the operations are performed in the reverse order.

The pin 22 first moves into engagement with r the outer end of the slot21 and then raises the panel 12 while the pivot 40* is moving idly from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position of Fig. 6. Thereafter the pin 22 moves idly back along its slot 21 while the pedal frame is swung outwardly to operative position.

It will be seen therefore that I have provided an extremely simple operating mechanism by which the parts may be moved in their proper sequence to their operative and inoperative positions. The movements are all obtained from a single operating shaft through simple bell crank and link conned tions, but nevertheless the proper relation of the movements is secured.

Having thus described my invention it will be evident that other changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as set forth in the claim, and I do not wish to be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is In a player piano, in combination, a casing having an opening therein, a panel for said opening, pedals mounted on a pedal frame movable through said opening into and out of operative position, and mechanism for moving said panel and pedal frame in timed relation, said mechanism comprising an actuating shaft having a handle and two actuating arms fixed thereto, a bell crank mounted on a fixed pivot and directly and positively link-connected to said panel, a slotted link forming a direct lost-motion actuating connection from one of said arms to said bell crank, a second bell crank also mounted on a fixed pivot, a link directly and positively connecting said second bell crank to an arm rigidly connected to said pedal frame and movable therewith, and a link directly connecting the second arm on the actuating shaft to said second bell crank, said lost-motion connection in the panel moving mechanism permitting said panel to be opened in advance of the forward movementof said pedal frame and to be closed after reverse movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atlixed my signature.

OSCAR JOHNSON. Witnesses THOMAS DANGUARD, WM. J. KEELEY.

' Gcpies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

